Head Start open houses, art shows set for Millersburg, Glenmont May 7

Parents in central Holmes County will get two chances to see Head Start up close on May 7, when open houses and art shows are scheduled in Millersburg and Glenmont from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visits give families a direct look at classrooms, routines and the services that can matter most when choosing care for a child before kindergarten.

The Millersburg open house will be held at 224 N. Clay St., Millersburg, Ohio 44654, and the Glenmont event will take place at the Glenmont Community Building, 108 Main Street, Glenmont, Ohio 44628. Families can compare the two sites, ask about daily schedules, and see the art work children have made. For many parents, that in-person view can answer questions no brochure can cover, including how a program handles meals, developmental support and the flow of a typical day.

Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission says its Head Start program serves low-income children ages 3 to 5 and includes education, health, nutrition, social services and parent involvement and family support. The agency also says some Head Start centers provide transportation by licensed Ohio school bus, and that some children may receive special services or therapies. Those details matter for working families deciding whether a program can fit a commute, a shift schedule or a child’s needs.

The open houses also come at a useful point in the enrollment cycle. Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland says applications for low-income children begin in March for the following fall, so spring visits can shape decisions for the school year ahead. The organization says it has served local communities for more than 55 years, and its Holmes County sites in Millersburg and Glenmont show that the network reaches more than one neighborhood in the county.

The annual report for the 2023-24 school year also pointed to family activities such as an art show, make-and-take craft nights, parent volunteering and parent visits to centers for lunch. That kind of parent involvement fits Head Start’s larger mission, which is designed to support children from birth to age 5 through early learning, health and family well-being services. For Holmes County families weighing preschool options, the May 7 open houses offer a rare chance to see how that mission looks on the ground.